Skip to content

Remote Course Development Strategies

Remote Course Development Strategies

Assess and Plan

Instructors should consider their familiarity with and current use of relevant instructional technologies (e.g., Canvas, Panopto, Skype, etc.), the structure and level of your course, the requirements of your discipline, the assignments and assessments you will need to deliver, and the particular needs of your students.

  • Instructors should determine realistic goals regarding what can be accomplished.
    • What learning outcomes need to be accomplished? What knowledge, skill or abilities do student still need to develop?
    • What aspects of your original syllabus can you maintain in an online version of the course?
    • Which assignments should you keep, and which should you modify or omit?
    • What assessments or exams will you need to administer? How will you administer them?
  • Determine your familiarity with Canvas.
    • How do you currently use Canvas?
    • Will you need support in setting up or putting your course materials into the LMS?
    • What access do you have to the internet and to necessary educational technologies?
    • What new technologies do you need to learn?
    • Do you know where to get support and assistance with educational technologies?
  • Evaluate your students’ access to technology.
    • Do your students have access to the internet?
    • Do your students have access to the devices necessary to participate in online/remote class activities, assignments and assessments?
  • Determine how your course will be delivered.
    • How will content best be delivered (synchronous vs asynchronous)?
    • What technologies will you use (e.g., live video, web conferencing, Panopto recorded lectures, readings, discussion boards)?
    • Can you use existing resources (e.g., Open Educational Resources (OER), YouTube Videos, LinkedIn Learning, Khan Academy, Ted Talks)?
    • What new materials do you need to develop or create?
    • Can you make any of your remaining assignments optional?
  • Determine how you will assess your students?
    • Will you need to administer quizzes, tests, final exams?
    • Will students be completing final projects or presentations?
    • Will you need to change your grading structure?
    • Should you consider alternative weighting for assessments and grades?

Should you adjust the timelines for assignments, exams and other course deliverables?

Workshops/Training

  • Accessibility Recorded Workshop: Recorded workshop discussing accessibility in the (online and face-to-face) classroom.
  • Creating Scaffolded Projects for Remote Delivery Courses: A recorded video on creating scaffolded projects for remote delivery courses.
  • Essentials for Remote Teaching: A recorded workshop on the essentials of remote teaching.
  • Teaching Online @ Pitt: The Teaching Online @ Pitt (TOP) course is now available. This is a self-paced, à la carte online course and instructors are free to explore what modules and topics are most relevant to their needs. These resources are designed to help instructors expand their pedagogical understanding of the practices that make for successful online teaching and learning. You can enroll in the Teaching Online @ Pitt course today.

Video

Documents

Other Resources

  • Sample Canvas Course Shell: This course shell has been designed so that you can copy parts or all of this shell to your own course and edit and adapt it to your own course. Alternatively, you can use this shell as a model as you build your own course from scratch. These resources can assist:
Back To Top